NEW YORK – Feb. 19, 2013 — Wednesday Night Rivalry continues tomorrow on NBC Sports Network with a doubleheader featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers at 7:30 p.m. ET, immediately followed by St. Louis at Colorado at 10 p.m. ET.

The Penguins are currently first in the Eastern Conference with 22 points, while the Flyers are looking to gain ground (15 points). Last year, the Flyers eliminated their in-state rival, the Penguins, in the first round of the playoffs (4-2) in a series in which the two teams combined for 56 goals in six games. The Blues have won their last three games and look for another win against the Avalanche in this week’s Western Conference showdown.

MIKE MILBURY: “Anybody that has seen the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers in the past knows that there is no love lost between the two teams. That means that fans will get a spirited effort from both clubs. On one side, you have Sidney Crosby, one of the most talented players in the league who is on quite a run right now, and on the other is Claude Giroux who single-handedly buried the Penguins last spring.”

BRIAN ENGBLOM: “The St. Louis Blues are a terrific, well-balanced team with a mobile defense and four amazing strong lines up front. Colorado is a young team that has been battling some injuries. Because of that, the special teams will be a big factor. St. Louis will be a favorite in this match up.”

ADDITIONAL GAMES

NBC Sports Network’s NHL coverage will continue on Sun., Feb. 24 with the Tampa Bay Lighting facing off against the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7:30 p.m. ET. On Mon., Feb. 25, the Dallas Stars take on the Nashville Predators at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Tuesday’s coverage of the Boston Bruins at the N.Y. Islanders at 7:30 p.m. ET. Emrick (play-by-play) and McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’) will call the action in Pittsburgh, while Dave Strader (play-by-play) and Engblom (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will call Monday and Tuesday night’s coverage.

Next week’s Wednesday Night Rivalry will feature another doubleheader with Washington at Philadelphia at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by Detroit at Los Angeles at 10 p.m. ET.

VIEWERSHIP

NBC and NBC Sports Network are experiencing significant viewership increases this season. Through four games, the NHL on NBC is averaging 1.86 million viewers, up 39% over last year’s regular season, excluding the Winter Classic (1.34 million). (Note: final viewership for Hockey Day in America is not yet available).

Additionally, through 13 NHL games this season, NBC Sports Network has averaged 462,000 viewers, making it the best start in network history*, and an increase of 39% over last year’s full regular-season average (332,000). Three of the most-watched NHL games in the network’s history have been Wednesday Night Rivalry games, a series that debuted this season. Top games include Boston/N.Y. Rangers on Jan. 23, with 956,000 viewers, (most-watched in NBC Sports Network* history); Chicago/Minnesota on Jan. 30, with 827,000 viewers, (third most-watched) and Boston/Montreal on Feb. 6 with 771,000 viewers (fourth most-watched).

*NBC Sports Network was previously known as VERSUS (2006-2011) and OLN before that.

COLLEGE HOCKEY

In addition to the NHL, NBC Sports Network will resume Friday Night Ice, its college hockey programming, with No. 14 Yale at No. 1 Quinnipiac at 7:30 p.m. ET, live from TD Bank Sports Center in Hamden, Conn. Later that night, No. 6 North Dakota will take on No. 10 Denver at 10 p.m. ET. John Walton will serve as play-by-play announcer for Yale-Quinnipiac alongside ‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst Ken Hodge, while the team of Steve Schlanger (play-by-play) and Brian Engblom (analyst) will call the game in Denver.